Black Beans & Vice

A Supper Club Mystery #6

by J.B. Stanley

Desperate for a solution to their endless struggles with weight loss, the supper club members decide to sign on with Wellness Village, a new-age health center promising life-changing improvements through hypnotherapy. It’s a mesmerizing experience, to say the least, but when the village’s fresh food festival is disrupted by an angry mob of protestors and a local councilman is found dead, librarian James Henry and his friends trade in their newfound sense of calm for a tense hunt for a cold-blooded killer.

Sorting through a list of suspects that includes an herbalist, an acupuncturist, and various other holistic healers who are all cool as cucumbers, the supper club members begin to suspect that all is not well at Wellness Village. But before their efforts can bear fruit, the body of another murder victim is discovered, and James and his friends realize they’ll have to sink their teeth into the investigation to help root out a rotten apple.

Includes delectable recipes!

This is a brand-new, fully revised edition of a book originally published under the name J. B. Stanley.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Romance, Mystery Thriller

321 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2010

About the author

Also writes under the pseudonyms Ellery Adams and Jennifer Stanley.


J.B. Stanley is the nom de plume of New York Times Bestselling author Ellery Adams. Adams grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. Having spent her adult life in a series of landlocked towns, she cherishes her memories of open water, violent storms, and the smell of the sea. Ms. Adams has held many jobs including that of caterer, retail clerk, car salesperson, teacher, tutor, and tech writer, all the while penning poems, children's books, and novels. She now writes full-time from her home in Virginia.


For more killer mysteries, visit www.elleryadamsmysteries.com

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hope the rumors are true and there is going to be another book in this series! This one was so good and reminded me of why I like the supper club. I like the characters and how they work together to solve the mystery.

[Micky Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better and better. The characters are developing stronger personalities and their personal lives are progressing in interesting ways even while they continue their friendship and their uncanny knack for discovering dead bodies! Great series with real life characters that you really would like to have as friends. I really can't wait to see what happens in the next book! If you haven't started reading this series, you really should and the added bonus is that the entire series is available via audiobook too!

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series is just progressively getting better as everyone's story unfolds and relationships develop while friendships continue to grow. This story was very bittersweet in some spots but the parties involved ended up with a happily ever after or a very nice outcome. There was one little thing that remains hanging but I have no doubt that since it's been spread over several books, it'll be resolved soon. A couple of my faves were in physical danger for a bit but all became ok again.

I'm not going to write my usual synopsis since there are quite a few little subplots that I don't want to spoil for anyone but instead of the usual small mystery happening at the library, something was going on in Jane and James's lives that had to be taken care of. I didn't guess the killer at all in the main mystery and even though there was no official showdown except for Lucy telling the story, sometimes I like it that way. The police have handled it, our friends aren't in danger. I really love that Lucy became a deputy since it's caused the sheriff's department to put more faith in the five friends than they would have in the beginning. Lucy's a good deputy too and she fiercely protects her friends while doing everything within the law. I think they might have come to a truce with Murphy as well!

Moving along to the seventh and final (for now, I hope there will be more!) book.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this next book of the series things are going well for James, him and his ex-wife are reconnecting while raising their child together, he has started hypnotherapy to help deal with losing weight, and his new hire for the library is working out great. When his young son decides he wants to be a vegetarian James takes him to the local fresh food festival to help with the process but while there they are met by angry protestors who think it's wrong to eat meat. Later at the festival James son finds the body of a local councilman dead in the bathroom, it looks like he died of a heart attack so there is no mystery to be solved or is there? However when the body of one of the young activist is found dead in her apartment in a similar fashion to that of the councilman James begins to wonder if he might have been murdered also. Follow along as James and the other supper club members investigate this young woman's death and come across some sordid secrets along the way. Will they be able to find the killer before it's to late? James has to deal with someone leaving his ex and himself cryptic messages and his father has a stroke during a going away party will these setbacks keep him from finding the answers they all seek? This is such a fun read filled with terrific characters, I always look forward to each new diet plan and finding out if will work for the supper club. I can't wait to see what they try next.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me smile. I enjoyed getting to know the characters again and found myself not missing a mystery right off the bat. There was a different style of mystery on=going and that was fine as the writing was so comfortable it really didn't need one. Then around page 196...surprise!

This is a more gentled piece of literature and I found that it suited me just fine. I believe it is the end of the series for now and that does make me sad. Do give yourself a treat and read the entire series of six.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Beans and Vice by Ellery Adams is the sixth A Supper Club Mystery. The members of the Supper Club are having trouble with sugar (eating too much of it) and Lindy Perez suggests they try hypnotherapy at the new Wellness Village. They each meet with hypnotherapist, Harmony York and soon discover that it does work (if they follow her instructions). James and Jane are surprised when their son, Eliot states he no longer wishes to eat meat after going to Fay Sunray’s show in Nashville with his grandparents (it seems she included a personal message at the end). They support his decision and embrace the new meatless lifestyle for themselves. The threesome attends the Fresh Food Festival at the Wellness Village and are enjoying the day despite the protestors at the entrance. Then James discovers Councilman Ned Woodman dead in the handicapped stall of the restroom. James and the members of the Supper Club are ready to sink their teeth into a new case (better than sugary snacks). Before they can narrow down the suspect list, another individual is found murdered. Can they root out the killer before he strikes again?

Black Beans and Vice is an entertaining cozy mystery with delightful characters. It is always pleasant to visit Quincy’s Gap and catch up with James Henry, Lindy, Bennett, Lucy, and Gillian along with Jackson Henry, Jane, Eliot, and Scott and Francis Fitzgerald. I like the relationship between James and Jane. I enjoy the scenes between James and his son, Eliot. It is sweet watching them get acquainted. The characters are well-developed, friendly, each with unique personalities and relatable. I especially like Scott and Francis Fitzgerald (such clever guys). The new character, Fern Dickenson is a good addition to the series. She is the perfect counterpart for another character in the book (I do not want to spoil it for you). Black Beans and Vice is a well-written and plotted story. There is quite a bit going on in this book. Someone is leaving threatening notes and dead birds for Jane and James, Eliot wanting to become a vegetarian, animal rights protestors, needing to hire a new employee for the library to replace retiring Mrs. Waxman, Sullie is transferring to Quincy’s Gap (Lucy is thrilled), Murphy Alistair has returned to town with surprising news and so much more. The mystery was appealing, and the method of murder was unique (which you know I love). However, I was able to identify the killer long before the reveal. While Black Beans and Vice is the sixth book in the series, it can be read alone. The ending will leave readers with a smile on their face. There are vegetarian recipes along with a couple of dessert recipes included at the end of the book. The Avid Reader rating for Black Beans and Vice is 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I look forward to returning to Quincy’s Gap in future books in A Supper Club Mystery series.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Beans & Vice is the sixth book in The Supper Club Mysteries series.

The Supper Club members, James, Lindy, Lucy, Gillian, and Bennett are in need of additional help in their dieting efforts. Lindy proposes that they check out the hypnotherapist at the Wellness Village outside of Quincy Gap. After some cajoling by Lindy, they agree to give investigate the use of hypnosis to get back on track with their diets. The Wellness Village features, in addition to the hypnotist, a herbalist, an acupuncturist and holistic healers. The members see that a Village Fresh Food Festival will be held over the upcoming weekend and decide to see what it has to offer.

They all show up for the festival and are enjoying all the fresh local foods when a disturbance catches there attention. An animal rights group is protesting the inhumane killing of animal in slaughterhouses but the police arrive before the protest gets violent. James has to take his son, Eliot to the restroom and asks herbalist, Roslyn Rhodes if they could use her restroom. When the entered, they found the body of Ned Woodman, a Quincy Gap councilman. The police at first feel that he died of natural causes, but James had seen him earlier at the festival and he seemed worried and upset. They find help investigating from an unexpected source, Murphy Alistair. Alistair, editor of the local newspaper had previously written a “fictional” book that unflattering to the members of the Supper Club. Alistair had found that Woodman was possibly embezzling from the city’s coffers. Then when Tia Royale, the leader of the animal protest is killed they then to get cooking to find the killer.

Also going on in Quincy Gap with the club member, James is taking it slowly with renewing their relationship and he is also enjoying getting to know his son Eliot. Bennett and Gillian’s relationship continues to grow, while Lindy is still hoping the Luis will come to his senses and ask her to marry him.

New characters to series are Willow Singletary who has stayed in Quincy Gap after her employer was murdered in A Battered Body, and is now working for Milla, James’ stepmother. Also new to Quincy Gap is Fern Dickenson. Fern is a freelance photographer and has started working for the library.

This is another excellently told story, well-plotted and with a wonderful cast of characters. All members of the Supper Club are well developed and with their own personalities. I would love to be friends with all of them.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included with the book.

I am looking forward to reading the next book this series, Pasta Mortem.

[Dez Nemec · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I usually like her stuff, I think I need an Ellery Adams break. The last book I read of hers was the end of the Books of the Bay series, and I hated it. And while I've liked all the other Supper Club Mystery Books, this book was very little mystery. It was all about relationships - James and his ex-wife, Jane; James and his son, Eliot (and where the hell did he come from?!); Lindy and Luis; Lucy and Sullie; Bennett and Gillian. Then one of the library twins has a girlfriend, and the other gets one. And there's Jackson and Milla. I felt like the book was primarily about everyone's relationships. There's a death early in the book, but it's not ruled a homicide. The second death doesn't come until 57% of the way through. I'm just very underwhelmed with this one, which is a shame because I have totally enjoyed this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Black Bean and Vice the Supper Club are going vegetarian or vegan I can't remember which one...lol. This couldn't thrill Julianne more because she is the vegetarian of the group. They also decide to a try a new wellness center that will hypnotize you so you don't crave sweets which seems to go well for James until he forgets to listen to his tapes and then after some protester at a fresh food festival disrupt things they find a local councilman dead.

James and the gang start to investigate into what happened when it seems that their wellness instructor could be a suspect and they are not sure she is guilty. It seems the list of suspects is long and they have lot to sift through while trying to adjust to eating so many veggies. :)

Something happens in this one that almost made me mad as I know that the author isn't afraid to put some characters through the ringer sometimes and this book is no exception as something happens to James' father but he ended up okay but for a few minutes I was worried!!

[RO G'ma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Beans & Vice is the sixth book in Ellery Adams’ Supper Club Mysteries series and is an enjoyable read. The storyline is well thought out and the well-developed characters are affable. As their friendship continues to evolve, the members of the Flab Five have developed an enviable camaraderie as they continue to support each other in their quest to lose weight, supply moral support, and work together to solve mysteries. There aren’t any graphic adult situations or violence, but there is some adult language. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Librarian James Henry is settling into the house he recently purchased and married life is going well for his dad, Jackson, and his new stepmother, Milla. James recently reconnected with his ex-wife, Jane, and discovered he has a four-year-old son, Eliot. James loves being a dad and is spending as much time as he can with Eliot, but wonders what course his relationship with Jane will take. Murphy Alistair, his former girlfriend and author of “The Body in the Bakery,” a book about the “fictional” account about Quincy’s Gap, the lives of the Flab Five, and their crime solving endeavors, has moved back to Quincy’s Gap, Virginia and purchased the Shenandoah Star Ledger, the newspaper she used to work for. Bennett Marshall and Gillian O’Malley are together after Bennet declared his love for her on national television when he was a contestant on Jeopardy. Lucy Hanover is delighted that Sullie will be returning to the Sheriff’s Department and hoping to renew their relationship now that she and James have broken up. Lindy Perez is nervous about meeting Luis Chavez’s mother and hoping he will pop the question even though his mother wants him to marry her friend’s daughter. At Lindy’s urging, the Flab Five has agreed to sign up for hypnotherapy at Harmony York’s A Better State of Mind in their continuing endeavor to lose weight. A confrontation between farmers and animal rights activists breaks out during a fresh food festival being held at the Wellness Village and Ned Woodman, one of the town councilmen, is found dead in the bathroom at herbal healer, Roslyn Rhodes’ Health House in the Wellness Village. The Flab Five try to solve Ned’s murder and the murder of Tia Royale, an animal rights activist while also trying to figure out why Murphy moved back to town and identify the person tormenting and scaring James, Jane, and Eliot. A medical emergency brings fear to the Henry family.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cozy, light mystery. Nothing spectacular, but it did make me hungry with constant food references.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining cozy mystery. Great characters, well-written and good mystery. There are some wonderful moments in Black Beans & Vice. I will share my review soon.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook 4.5

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow but good.

Even though I am still invested in the characters of this series, this book was not a favorite. It drug just a bit bit was still worth reading.

[Julie Trapp · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Desperate for a solution to their endless struggles with weight loss, the supper club members decide to sign on with Wellness Village, a new-age health center promising life-changing improvements through hypnotherapy. It’s a mesmerizing experience, to say the least, but when the village’s fresh food festival is disrupted by an angry mob of protestors and a local councilman is found dead, librarian James Henry and his friends trade in their newfound sense of calm for a tense hunt for a cold-blooded killer. [amazon synopsis]

Since when does a 4 yr old dictate the food a family will eat? Sorry, but this book was sooooooo preachy, I could not stand to read most of it. The members of the club need to figure out if they want to lose weight or not. And the Wellness Village was another alternative lifestyle that was shoved down our throats. Glad James and Lucy have finally found love, but after 4 years, and discovering Eliot, it just is not believable that 2 people could suddenly act like no time had passed. Done with this series.

[Emilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last one of the series (I'm assuming the last one, as everything comes to a closure at the end... though some little side-threads still hanging... there is hope? :) )- jam-packed with fun, action, friendship, love, second chances... oh, animals, animal rights, vegetarianism... loved it!!! :)
Fast paced, I liked the development in personal lives of the "supper clubbers".
Still hoping that the series will somehow continue...

[Shala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sad to see this series end. I loved the last two books of the series, The Battered Body and Black Beans and Vice. Black Beans and Vice was a little short on the mystery aspect, but I didn't miss it. I feel like I'm a part of the Supper Club and it was nice just to "visit" with them in this book.

[Nora-adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read some of the previous books in this series and enjoyed them. Becoming online friends with the author put the cherry on top of the whipped cream for me. I was sorry that this book was going to be the last one written in the series and just had to make sure I read it while it was current. LOL I loved it.

[Cindi]

LOVED IT, after Thanksgiving and the family went home I was able to finish the book, as always J.B. pulled me into Quincy Gap like I was there. I'm a huge fan of this series and I hope she keeps them coming.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best so far in the series. There aren't to many series that provide me with the inpression of being in the story, but The Supper Club series does. Start with the first so you get to know the Flab Five from the beginning.

[Kathi Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm afraid this is the last one??? Please say it isn't so!!! I've read better mysteries, better dialogue, but there's something about these 5 friends that I love spending time with them. I wish I could hang out with them and lose weight with them. I hope there are more.

[Candace Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is #6 in this series. This is the last book out. Great story, hope there is a happy ending for Lundy and Luis in the next book.Loved this complete series. Great humor with many lovely characters.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read from 11-20-11-22. Really need a better way of cataloging these things! Anyway, just as good as teh rest.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series entry more than I did the last couple.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

another good read! I like these charactors

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite one in the series thus far. Stanley gets better with each installment of this series!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-book/Cozy Mystery/ARC: This is my first Ellery Adams book and if your name is Ellery, you better have written a great mystery. I have seen her books around and I think I have a Bay Mystery around here somewhere. The author did a great job introducing the five main characters of the Supper Club considering this is the sixth book in the series. It is narrated in third person and 95% of the book is seeing things through the character James. I enjoyed all the characters and wanted to know more about this group and the town they live in.

I requested this book from NetGalley because I like black beans and I'm on a diet. I am not a vegetarian but I do eat several meatless meals a week. The son becomes a vegetarian and the family eats chickpea burgers which a chapter was named after. I really wanted to try the recipe only to see that was not one listed in the back of the book.

The book is more like a Charlaine Harris mystery where you meet several characters and there are several plots going on and the murder is just part of the story. I really don't understand what the cover and title have to do with the plot because while James does eat black bean chili, there is no real vice in the book, just murder. I did wish there was more of a description of the town and the summer heat to really make me feel like I was there.

There were several loose ends by the end of the book and I am curious of each book lands on a different character (this one being mostly about James). It was a light, easy read and I do recommend it for the cozy fan. I'm still sad about the chickpea burger.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

It felt like a lot of the characters go through negative character development. I was fine with Eliot, but as soon as James and Jane started to get back together this book, I got frustrated. I definitely saw it coming, but it’s still annoying. Jane doesn’t seem to have any character outside caring for Eliot, and her and James getting back together to “unify their family” is not a good reason to marry. Eliot has two parents and tons of family without you being legally bound to someone you didn’t like or trust years ago. It’s been like two months. At least slow down. They just don’t seem to have any chemistry at this point, and I can’t believe Lucy got back with Sully?? And that final ending with the spontaneous pregnancy?? Ugh! Finally, the overarching dump on vegetarians just hasn’t aged well. Sorry, but slaughtering animals isn’t something a lot of people approve of, even with meat eaters. No, that doesn’t mean we rag on the small farmers, but that also means we don’t treat vegetarians like they’re crazy for caring about animals or the environment or whatever other reason they have. Most vegetarians are not crazy people trying to convert everyone. Depicting them like this completely inaccurately portrays not only the people, but the morals they have. I seriously thought with Jillian’s character, something like this wouldn’t happen. Sure, she trivialized at times, but at least she’s complex.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Beans and Vice by J. B. Stanley is the sixth book of the Supper Club mystery series set in the contemporary Shenandoah Valley. The Supper Club was formed by five friends (James, Lindy, Bennett, Lucy, Gillian) with a common desire to lose weight and improve their health. While pursuing those worthy goals, they've been involved in solving multiple murder cases in their small town Quincy's Gap.

The "Flab Five" are always interested in a new method to rejuvenate their flagging efforts to diet. This time, they try hypnosis. It works, if they attend weekly sessions and listen to daily reminders; but life happens, and they tend to slack off.

When James' young son decides to become a vegetarian, James takes him to a local fresh food festival, where they discover a dead man. The investigation is challenging for Lucy, who (after the second murder) fears her career will end if she doesn't swiftly solve the case. Of course Supper Club members all pitch in to help.

The case is eventually solved, but the murder investigation is completely overwhelmed by the joy in James' life. The story's happy focus is on the personal lives of Supper Club members. Too bad there is only one more book in the series, Pasta Mortem.

As always, recipes are provided: Dolly's Blueberry Dream Pie, Milla's Chocolate Mocha Cake, Milla's Coffee Icing, Jane & Eliot's Vegetarian Pizzadillas, Gillian's Zen Cocktail, Gillian's Black Bean Burgers, Gillian's Summer Fruit Salad.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been fun to see the relationships between all the characters in this series develop. They're funny and each have their own unique personalities, even the peripheral characters to the stories, outside of the five members of the supper club. While the stories are cheesy and the mysteries and their solutions are not entirely plausible/realistic, they're still entertaining. Each book has two mysteries going on, one the more serious murder mystery and the other something to do with one of the supper club members, something less serious. The recipes in the back of this one are varied, from desserts to vegetarian, but each relates to a part of the book where the dish is mentioned. Several dishes mentioned in the book do not have recipes, so I personally would love to see more recipes included. Each chapter heading is titled relating to some food mentioned in that chapter, though only about 5 recipes were included in the book and there are 19 chapters (including the epilogue), so, based on a few other cooking series I've read, I'd love to see more recipes. There are lots of new changes for the supper club members in this book, with surprises all the way up to the end, so it'll be fun to see what happens to the supper club in the next book!

***I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.***